TAXI fares are set to rise across Nuneaton and Bedworth from November 5 after months of wrangling over the hike....

TAXI fares are set to rise across Nuneaton and Bedworth from November 5 after months of wrangling over the hike.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is due to fix the new rates for taxis at the licensing committee meeting tomorrow.

Taxi owners want a 40p increase to help pay their drivers the minimum wage but are worried that, if the burden is passed on to passengers, it will cause hardship for pensioners who use cabs for short trips. Members of the Nuneaton and Bedworth Taxi Proprietors? Association had asked the borough council to consider a token scheme to make life easier for senior citizens who rely on taxis.

Such an initiative could see pensioners or disabled people issued with tokens which would be accepted by both taxi and bus drivers in lieu of cash.

This is still being looked at but, in the short term, the authority which regulates the fares has decided to introduce a change in the distance from which fares will start to rise.

This will mean people taking short taxi rides - many of whom are pensioners or disabled people who cannot use any other transport - will not face the price hike.

Journeys up to 1,057 yards will remain the same flat rate of #2.10, but subsequent rises will go up quicker, with the meter ticking over after every 235 yards rather than 251 yards.

Cllr Mick Jones (Lab, Galley Common) said: ?We are still looking into the token scheme but that would mean a major change in the whole of the public transport system because it would be a token for buses and taxis.

?But obviously there are people who are not capable of using buses and getting a cheaper rate so that has to be taken into account.

?The option we have chosen to follow for the taxi fares supports those people who take short journeys and didn?t want to be penalised by not being able to use an alternative form of transport.?